Object detection device

Abstract

An object detection device can dynamically set an appropriate object detection region according to a state of an inherently unobstructive moving object. The device includes: an optical scanning unit configured to scan measurement light in a measurement space and to guide reflected light from a reflector; a reflector detection unit configured to detect reflector information including a distance from the device to the reflector, a reflected light intensity, and a scanning direction of the measurement light; a reference body identification unit configured to identify whether the reflector is a predetermined reference body, based on the reflector information; a region defining unit configured to define an object detection region along the reference body, based on the reflector information about the reference body; and an object determination unit configured to determine, as a target object, a reflector that is present in the region and that is not identified as the reference body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An object detection device for detecting an object in a measurement space, the device comprising:
 an optical scanning unit configured to scan the measurement space by measurement light emitted from a light emission unit and to guide reflected light from a reflector for the measurement light to a light receiving unit; and 
 a processor configured to:
 detect reflector information, the reflector information including a distance from the object detection device to the reflector calculated based on physical characteristics of the measurement light and the reflected light, a reflected light intensity detected by the light receiving unit, and a scanning direction of the measurement light; 
 identify whether the reflector is a predetermined reference body, based on the reflector information; 
 define an object detection region between the device and the reference body, based on the reflector information about the reference body; and 
 determine, as a target object, the reflector that is present in the object detection region defined by the region defining unit and that is not identified as the reference body; wherein 
 
 the object detection device is provided on a side of a first structure, the reference body is provided on a side of a second structure facing the side of the first structure, and the first and the second structures are movable along a first direction relative to each other, and 
 the processor is further configured to dynamically change the object detection region based on relative movement along the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor is further configured to identify a reflector present within a predetermined identification range that is narrower than a scanning range of the measurement light. 
 
     
     
       3. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the object detection region has a predetermined offset toward the object detection device, based on a distance from the object detection device to the reference body. 
 
     
     
       4. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the object detection region includes a predetermined fixed region that is defined in a portion of the object detection region close to the object detection device, regardless of a distance from the object detection device to the reference body. 
 
     
     
       5. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the reference body is composed of a planar body, and 
 the object detection region at least includes a plane along a direction in which a plane of the reference body extends. 
 
     
     
       6. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor is further configured to define a plurality of object detection regions that at least partially overlaps each other, and 
 the processor is further configured to switch between a first determination mode and a second determination mode in a case where the target object is present in any one of the overlapping object detection regions, the processor under the first determination mode determining that the target object is present in each one of the overlapping regions, and the processor under the second determination mode determining that the target object is present only in a first one of the overlapping regions. 
 
     
     
       7. The object detection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor has a non-detection output mode, the processor under the non-detection output mode determining, when processor is unable to identify the reference body in the measurement space, that the target object is present in the object detection region regardless of presence or absence of the reflector.